Best dumb phones 2023: Why are they trending?
On a worldwide level, dumb phones may be out of style, but in the United States, things are very different. Today, we will explain why they are trending and also give you a brief list of the best dumb phones that you can try if you are interested!
Millions of mobile devices comparable to those used in the early 2000s are being sold by companies like HMD Global, the manufacturer of Nokia phones. This includes so-called "feature phones"—classic flip- or slide-style phones with extra functions like GPS or a hotspot.
HMD Global saw an increase in feature flip phone sales in the U.S. in 2022, with tens of thousands of units sold per month. Meanwhile, the firm reported a decline in feature phone sales around the globe for HMD.
Best dumb phones: What are they and why are they trending?
Dumb phones, which are often flip phones, offer a simpler and less addicting user experience than their smartphone equivalents due to their constrained feature sets. Our psychological health has been shown to suffer as a result of prolonged scrolling. Numerous studies have suggested a link between the development of ADHD symptoms, melancholy, anxiety, sleep loss, and constant scrolling.
The millennial generation, which was once youthful, is now aging, and in recent years, nostalgia has captured their hearts in popular culture.
In contrast, the generation known as Gen Z, which grew up in front of screens, seems to be attracted by a history they were not able to experience. For instance, video games with pixelated visuals and straightforward gameplay that are retro-inspired are once again gaining a loyal audience.
So, what are the best dumb phones? Let's take a closer look at them!
Related: 50 years of cell phones: The story of our digital revolution
Best dumb phones of 2023
A dumb phone could be of interest to you if you're seeking for a basic phone that can make calls, send messages, and operate for days on a single battery. Simple phones without internet connectivity, social networking applications, or other advanced capabilities are referred to as dumb phones. In addition, they are less obtrusive and more robust than smartphones.
What are the best dumb phones, though, should you get in 2023? There are numerous choices, but not all of them are worthwhile investing in. Here are a couple of them:
Related: Here are the most popular iPhones of 2023 Q1
Nokia 2760 flip phone
Everyone may recall the era when Nokia dominated the mobile industry. It was the appropriate move, from indestructible blocks to brightly colored gadgets. The Nokia 2760 Flip is now available to try to rekindle some of that enthusiasm.
It has a 5MP camera, 4G capability, and access to some of the most well-liked apps. On the 2.8-inch internal display, you can access YouTube, WhatsApp, and Google Maps immediately. The inexpensive Nokia 2760 Flip phone is offered through Straight Talk and Tracfone in the USA.
Easyfone Prime A6
This is a good option if you're searching for a straightforward candy-bar phone that is specifically made for older users. Even the T3 text messaging fonts are large enough to avoid squinting, as are the lighted keypad.
Should they desire, the phone may also pronounce each button push to comfort consumers. With a 1050mAh battery, battery life is just mediocre, but on the positive side, there is a docking station that resembles a cradle that the phone can be placed in to replace a standard landline.
Nokia 225 4G
To appeal to the nostalgia market, Nokia has brought back a number of previous models, but the 225 is a simple candy-bar phone that prioritizes price and usability over other factors. Voice over LTE (VoLTE) calls are compatible with 4G; however, be careful because, like every other phone, a 1150mAh battery lasts less time on 4G than 2G (which the phone also supports when available).
On the bright side, if you opt to use a Battery Saving Mode, it will provide the longest standby time possible.
Doro 7010 Dual Sim
Despite being targeted towards the elderly, this phone supports Facebook and WhatsApp, which many seniors now use. Even though it has physical keys, they are not the largest. Therefore, it is perhaps more suited for younger users than certain handsets for the elderly.
Although we wouldn't want to play the newest games on it, the apps should operate just fine with 512MB of RAM and a 1.1GHz CPU.
Nokia 6300
The Nokia 6300 falls somewhere in between a smartphone and a very basic voice phone. It will thus be appropriate for someone who occasionally wants to use services like Whatsapp, Facebook, and YouTube but doesn't want to become engrossed in them the way you do with a current smartphone. It's also a smart decision if battery life is important to you because its 1,500mAh battery can power it for up to 25 days on standby and 7.5 hours of talk time.
Other features set this device apart from typical dumbphones. The most notable features are the huge 4G storage and the ability to utilize it as a mobile hotspot. By adding a microSD card, you can even boost it to 256GB.
It’s hard to understand that in a techno-geek site like ghacks that the discussion completely dismisses mention of the OS and if a google login is necessary for the feature set(s). Other than the pictures and model numbers, this article has no value other than compelling me to search other sites for the details.
The last one I really used was an glamour styled nokia, if I can remember, till 2013. After I got an samsung galaxy 2, nice phone and simplier than todays :)
Unsurprisingly the elephant in the room is again totally absent in this discussion: privacy.
Dumb phones also mean fewer opportunities to be spied on, eg by every single shitty installed app, not to mention more directly by glorious Google and Apple.
But considering that you’re listing specific models, this may also simply be another ad article anyway.
Pay attention that the dumb phone is capable of 4G. And indeed KaiOS seems not favourable (based on quite some internet reactions, it is very slow and also collects your data/info).
Then Nokia has a dumb phone (225 4G) with propriately OS and 4G (but with small fonts and strange settings (long press # also has settings, enable data, otherwise 4G wont work).
KaiOS partners with Google’s Mozilla. Huge red flag, no need to read privacy policies now to know it must be avoided.
The real dumb phones are the ones from the years 2002 – 2006, just use those if you want a phone that doesn’t spy on you.
I agree, but as long as 2G can be used (3G is shut down). Inevitably you have to go to 4G.
Are there any dumb phones that do not have GPS or Internet at all?
Just phone and text nothing more?
Gigaset (Germany) still carries 2 so called mobile phones for the elderly, without internet capabilities.
Not made in China is definitly a plus these days.
Alcatel GO FLIP; don’t know if it’s still made.
Nokia feature phones are now made my HMD. While their style and build quality is usually very good; many recent models have very buggy and cheap OS (like Nokia 105 plus). I would suggest reading user-reviews before buying them. I would also advice against buying anything from Nokia with KaiOS on it (like Nokia 2760 flip, Nokia 6300) if you want to use the device as a heavily used daily driver. Though KaiOS is advertised to run on underpowered hardware, it runs very poorly on minimum specifications.
However, if you are OK with a completely dumb phone, I would suggest some old and tested popular models from HMD. Like Nokia 3310 (build like a rock), Nokia 105 (extremely cheap, does it’s work) etc. models.
How can you access Google Maps and Facebook without having Internet connectivity ?